Need HELP Image resizing problem!!

[lexlu2k]

I need to make a Postcard in photoshop- 4x6, 1200x1800, 3MB for printing and it has to be a JPEG.

But all I get is 4x6, 1200x1800, 1MB when I save it as jpeg.

How can I make it 3mb?

[mistermonday]

When you are ready to save it, go to the file menu and select File > Save As. Name it, choose you file type (jpg). Click the Save button and you will be presented with another dialog box. In the field called Quality, enter the number 12 and look at the preview of the file size. The lower the number from 1-12, the smaller the file will get. Smaller file means poorer quality, increase pixelation, and fine detail loss. Save at as high a level as you can.
Regards, Murray

[lexlu2k]

Thanks Murray,

I put 12 and its 1MB, which is weird because when I go to image sizes it's 6mbs but when I save even with 12 preview is only 1MB?

I guess there's no way to keep file size 6mb without making it tiff?

[bakerser]

Why does it have to be 3MB? It seems more likely that 3MB is the maximum file size which your printer is going to accept for that size JPEG image vs. the minimum.

[lexlu2k]

That's what the printing place told me it had to be. And I was just puzzled because I'm pretty good with photoshop and can't figure it out. I figure aslong as it's 300dpi it shouldn't be a problem, so not sure why they told me it might be low quality because it's 1mb, not 3mb what they recommend.

[byRo]

Can't remember ever seeing anyone wanting to make a file bigger!

The maximum size this file can be, in RGB, is 1200 x 1800 x 3, which is 6.5Mbytes. When you see "image size" like this it is because PS needs the image in a totally open and accessible format without any coding or compression.

Even at 100% quality a JPG compression a normal photographic image will make a smaller file than this (around 1Mbyte) but, rest assured, it is only taking out what is just a waste of space.
(The only way to make a large JPG file is to fill the image with noise!)

A TIFF file will be stored as a 6Mbyte file only if you don't use any compression. But this would be just a waste.
If you use LZW compression, the file is totally lossless and you'll get something between 1 and 2 Mbytes.

Hope this helps a bit.

Rô

[lexlu2k]

Thx Ro,

Your right. I guess as long as it's 4x6, 1200x1800, 300dpi, 1mb it should be fine don't know why they insist in a bigger file size of 3mb only?

[mistermonday]

Yes to what Ro has written. Size after compression will depend on image content. For example, if you create a 3000 x 3000 px image it opens about 25 MB in PS (in 8 bit). If you fill it with 100% white then save it on the highest qual 12, the file size will be 600 KB. When they ask you for a 3 Meg file it could mean that they want 3 Million pixels which mich translate into something like 1500 x 2000 which at 300 dpi would allow printing of a decent 5 x 7.
Regards, Murray